[OOC] Sorry guys, last minute RL commitments mean I won't be around to hold the recruitment this evening.  I shall hold it at a date in the very near future instead. [/OOC]

[When:]

When: Friday 30th December 2005, 2000 GMT
Where: Meet outside the Barracks
Bring: Parade arms, polished set of armoru and recruitment books if you have them (although I will have some to provide)

For the final part of my Watchman's Trial, I am required to complete a recruitment operation in the largest settlement of Sosaria: Britainnia.  Therefore, this Friday I shall be setting off to this filthy city full of social low-lifes and people with illuminous hair in an attempt to weed out those few that might be suitable for filling the ranks of the Baronship.

For those wishing to join me, we will be fortifying the outpost a little ways South-East of the West Britain bank and handing out posters to passers by.  With the sheer volume of other British riff-raff hollering and trying to peddle their wears, we will need to create a spectacle to draw attention away from the crowd.  With that in mind, those Covians present will be invited to take part in duels on the roof of the outpost to woo onlookers with their fighting prowess.

I hope to be joined by some of you this Friday.

*Signed* Talpa Europaea

[Watchman's Trial: Organise and conduct a Militia Training Session.]

Watchman's Trial:  Organise and conduct a Militia Training Session.

The letter from Commander Eason detailing my Watchman's Trial suggested I should cover a wide range of subjects during the course of this training session.  With so many fresh faced recruits standing with their shoulders slumped amidst the line up of more senior Guardsmen, I decided to begin with some basic orders: arm up, ready arms, at ease, sheath arms, about face et cetera.

The recruits looked simple, but the orders were even simpler and each one was carried out posthaste.  To complete the basic orders, I drilled the line up on the proper way to salute for parade purposes.  Calling "Salute to the for..." a couple of the newer recruits were caught out by that pre-emptive command, and saluted before the second call for salute was given.  On the second try, however, all completed the order satisfactorily.



Next up was some formation training.  I explained what was expected of a tracker's line and what should happen when the commanding officers gives the order to "Form!", and drilled the group a few times on each formation.  The group completed each formation perfectly each time the order was given.



One final order needed to be practiced before moving on to some combat training; charging.  I set up some dummies along the Northern edge of the arena to represent Yewmen (more intelligent versions thereof) and instructed the group to form a double line along the Southern edge.  When they were in place, the order was given to ready arms and then... to charge!!  The group charged in unison and gave those Yewish raggamuffins what for, hacking and slashing, stabbing and smashing the dummies into splinters.



As the arena was cleared of the debris, I called the troops into line and selected Juniors Hoagie and Ridir to step forward to pick teams for some battle training.  I am not at all certain what was influencing Ridir's team selection, but it was evident that Junior Hoagie was picking the best more experienced fighters from the line-up.  I decided Ridir could have the advantage of numbers and assigned his team the remaining two recruits.

The two teams formed on opposing sides of the arena, and I explained that the focus of the battle training was about tending to the wounds of your comrades during formation fighting instead of your own and relying on them to do the same.



The two teams discussed tactics amongst themselves, then notified me that they were ready to begin.  I ordered them to start, and the battle ensued.  As expected, the battle went strongly in favour of Junior Hoagie's team who suffered only one loss during the fight.  Those still standing helped their comrades to their feet and returned to their position for a second bout.

I suggested that both teams might adapt and refine their tactics based on how the opposition fought in the previous battle, and ordered them once more to fight.  Again Junior Hoagie's team were victorious, but improvements could be seen in both teams' performance: Junior Hoagie's team did not suffer any losses this time round, whilst Junior Ridir's team were able to survive a lot longer with much improved cross-healing.



As important as it is to fight in formation and rely on others to tend to your wounds, there are also times when one must learn to be reliant only on oneself; either a formation is broken or all of your comrades are knocked unconscious leaving you to fend for yourself.  With that in mind I concluded the training session with a last man standing bout.

The troops were told to assume a position around the arena, whilst I assumed a position well outside of it.  Once everyone was in place I gave the order to begin and a drawn out fight broke out.  Naturally, the recruits were the first to fall, leaving the arena one by one clutching bruised and cracked ribs or nursing a sore head, and in the end it was down to Junior Feather and Corporal Lanai.

Junior Feather put up a good fight, ducking and weaving around the Corporal in and out of the shadows, but ultimately Corporal Lanai got the better of her and knocked her flat on her back with an expertly placed blow.



*Signed*  Talpa Europaea

Guards in attendance:
Talpa Europaea, Watchman (Leading)
Joey Lanai, Corporal
Gord Blackwell, Junior Guard
Rupert Ridir, Junior Guard
Hoagie, Junior Guard
Jenifer Feather, Junior Guard
Thomas Sendrich, Watchman
Kas Valentine, Watchman
Constantius, Watchman
James, Recruit
Leloo, Recruit
Malith, Recruit
Edmund Rufus, Recruit

[*Scribbles his name off*]

*Scribbles his name off* Sorry sir, must have been seeing things after having the wind knocked from me.

[OOC]  Whoops, just grabbed all the names that were in screenie of my party manifest. [/OOC]

[Where:]

Where:  The Arena on the roof of the Barracks.
When:  1800 GMT, Tuesday 20th December 2005
What to bring:  Battle gear, plenty of bandages.



For the second part of my Watchman's Trial, I shall be holding a training session in the barrack's Arena.  Depending on the numbers that attend, the session shall cover a wide range of topics including the very basics of formation fighting for the benefit of recruits to more advanced tactics and formations for more senior members of the Covian Militia.

With any luck there will be enough Scouts present to practice the best ways of overcoming those that fight with the aid of poison.  If you wish to attend, please ensure that you have plenty of bandages and that your arms and armour are in a good state of repair.

*Signed* Talpa Europaea

[Watchman's Trial: Lead a Patrol to the Eastern Bridge on the outskirts of Yew, and construct a Blockade there.]

Watchman's Trial: Lead a Patrol to the Eastern Bridge on the outskirts of Yew, and construct a Blockade there.

Having relied on my own devices during my days working alone for the Tel'marian Mercenary Company, today was to be the first day I would be in charge of a unit of fellow guardsman and be responsible for issuing orders and ensuring a mission went smoothly.

We began by forming outside the barracks and deciding who would receive the unenvious task of carrying the majority of the crates that would be needed during the blockade.  It was a tough decision, but Recruit Constantius made my life easier by volunteering for the task with his wagging, insubordinate tongue.  With the recruit's pack heavily laden with crates, and other guards offering to pick up the remaining few, we set off on a forced march along the road leading West out of Cove and towards the Eastern Bridge of Yew.

It was a substantial distance to the Bridge, and the sight we were greeted with did nothing to lift the spirits of those who had completed the journey.



Tethered to the side of the bridge by a thick rope around his neck, feet dipping into the cold running waters of the Yewish river, was a young man wearing the uniform of a Covian recruit.  This was obviously a warning from our Yewish counterparts, but I must say it did not have the desired effect of scaring us and making us turn-tail.  If anything it strengthened our resolve and reminded us of the necessity of one day toppling this oppressive regime.



Some amongst the group decided we should give the nameless recruit a decent burial, so as they set about cutting down the body and dragging him from the river I ordered the rest to begin setting up the blockade.

There were two main areas that needed to be barricaded.  Firstly there was the bridge; a series of four walls were set up along the length of the bridge to create a kind of slalom to prevent anyone on horseback from charging through us should they choose.  Secondly was the area South of the bridge; a laborious route through the woods and around the head of the river meant that people could cross without needing the bridge, so a large wall was set up between the river and the mountain.



It was not a pretty sight, but it would do the job.  The guards assumed sentry positions along the length of the blockade and we waited for signs of anyone approaching along the road from either the West or East.  For a full twenty minutes the roads were clear, free from anyone that we could apprehend for questioning.



I decided to sneak off into the shadows to the West and ascertain if there was a reason for the road being so quiet.  As I crept through the woods I found a Yewish marksman lying on the ground at the foot of a troll and a second Yewman bursting through the treeline to rescue his comrade.  This second guard succeeded where his friend could not, and slew the troll before aiding his unconscious friend.  The pair composed themselves before marching towards the direction of the bridge with me in pursuit.



Upon spotting our group, who were indulging in a spot of training during this quiet period, the marksman fired a warning arrow before he and his friend began fleeing back to Yew.  I jumped from the shadows in pursuit of the two Yewmen along with several other Covians from the Eastern Bridge.  We managed to separate the pair and eventually had the marksman running blindly through the woods in the opposite direction to Yew.

Unfortunately the marksman got the better of me whilst I tended to the wounds of a recruit.  He fired a bolt from the cover of a bush that hit me square in my chest plate, taking the wind from my lungs and the feet from beneath me.  I fell unconscious, only to wake again in the company of my comrades back at the bridge with what felt like a broken sternum.



I am not certain what happened in the interim between losing and regaining consciousness, but as I rested with my back against a tree I saw the Yewish marksman being led back to our blockade in chains by Grenadier Sergeant Arkay.  With a Yewman as a captive I am sure we were able to learn some information about our enemies, and so fulfilling the objective of the blockade.

*Signed* Talpa Europaea

Guards in attendance:
Talpa Europaea (Leading)
Gregor Eason
Erik Arkay
Drachir
Kas Valentine
Thomas Sendrich
Constantius
Leloo
Kal Shadowhand

[OOC] Fairly sure I have forgotten a couple of names as people kept on appearing without joining party because it was already full.  If you were there but have not been given a mention please give me a shout on 44032056.  Thanks to all those that attended [/OOC]

[*Sticks up a handful of paintings that she committed to memory during the training session*]

*Sticks up a handful of paintings that she committed to memory during the training session*



The heavy melee fighters, Vince Valentine and Constantius manage to take down one member of the team but the other evades them in the chaos.



The tide turns as the Scout hopefuls formulate a better plan of attack.



As the numbers of Scouts and heavy fighters increases, the Scouts once again prove victorious without suffering a single loss.



The Scouts, reowned for their speed and maneuverability during battles, are dealt a cruel handicap by Cadet Drachir.   They lost.



Cadet Drachir suggests a good tactic to the bandits during the Baron battle training game.



The bandits take full advantage of Cadet Drachir's tip, all of them hiding until the last man enters the arena and then striking as one without losing a single member of their team.



Cadet Drachir suggests the Baron's defenders attack the bandits one by one as they enter before they have a chance to hide.  They manage to take one of the bandits down, but the remaining bandits charge together as the Baron is left undefended by his bodyguards.

[Where:]

Where: Rally outside the barracks
When: Saturday 17th December 2005, 1800 GMT
What to bring: Battle gear, bandages, space in your backpack for some folded down crates

For the first stage of my Watchman's trial, I shall be organising a patrol to the Eastern Bridge of Yew and setting up a blockade once the area is secure.  We will be taking this opportunity to both question those entering Yew from the East over their intentions in these hostile lands and interrogate those leaving Yew over their business in Yew in the hope of gaining any information that will provide a tactical advantage over these Yewish raggamuffins.



All those being questioned will be held for the duration of the blockade, so we should be safely out of the area before the Yew Militia are notified of our presence.    In the unfortunate event of the Yewlanders learning of our activities, we will need to be prepared for a possible fracas.  Those wishing to aid with the blockade should arrive at the barracks fully equipped with battle gear.

*Signed* Talpa Europaea

Indeed I saw the poster, but what of it?  The working ladies of Cove have posters stuck up all over the town advertising their services every day from six o'clock onwards.  I trust the men in the militia will not be taking that as an invite to abstain from one's duties every evening?

[OOC] I'll be there [/OOC]

[EDIT] Or not... *Realises 1700 is in fact 5pm and not 7pm* Damn that new fangled 24 hour clock! [/EDIT]

What extraordinarily bad manners! Unheard of, it really is!  I make the time to turn up for this hunt, thinking it of some urgency due to the request for at least ten other guards to attend, only to learn that my superior that is leading the hunt is off galavanting at some Winter Ball!

Not so much as a note to inform us of the cancellation, preposterous!  Not all of us have the time to shirk our duties in favour of cavorting with some harlots in fancy dresses down in Vesper!

*As Talpa continues ranting at any passers-by that are unfortunate enough to get too close, you get the impression she is not so much annoyed at the cancellation of the hunt as of the fact she missed an invitation to a high society function*



[OOC]  How dare you go to a ball without me, I was hoping to go kill stuff with you all  [/OOC]

[Saturday 10th December 2005, 2000 GMT]

Saturday 10th December 2005, 2000 GMT

Guards in attendance:
Delcarakdur (Leading)
Hoagie
Constantius
Talpa Europaea
Kal Shadowhand
Althalus
Kas Valentine
Rupert Ridir

Before we fell into line for the expedition, Delcarakdur ordered that we collect at least ten crates each for the mission to share the load of resources that would be needed for the camp.  None amongst our group was a crafter unfortunately, so we found ourselves in somewhat of a predicament.  Kas Valentine was able to remedy the situation by creating a magic portal next to the Covian gate and travelling through it only to return with an armful of crates, plenty for everyone.

We collapsed the crates, tied them to our packs and returned to Delcarakdur's formation outside the barracks.

The group sets off to the ruins

There was a bit of trouble in the line up, with one of our group apparently muttering something about elves quietly under his breath.  This guard's ignorant view of the elven race shone even brighter in light of the fact that he was unaware that elves have superlative hearing.  Three of our group had elven blood in them, so surrounded this particular guard until he decided to flee out of fear of what may come next.

For those that remained, Delcarakdur issued the order for a forced march to the ruins between Cove and Vesper.

Delcarakdur comes up with a plan

The aim of the mission was to investigate the area surrounding the pentagram that was housed within these ruins and ascertain if it had any connection with the recent increase in Undead activity.  Night was drawing in and we were told we would be camping here until the morrow to monitor the pentagram and keep an eye out for any deadling activity.  The ruins were in a state of major disrepair, with intruders being able to get at us from many directions should they choose to.

Delcarakdur decided that we should use the crates we brought along to build a wall around the ruin, blocking up the fallen wall of the structure and creating a more defendable camp.

Delcarakdur loves it when a plan comes together, foo'

Everyone set to work at once, hammering the heavy crates together and draping them with the toughened hides of Covian deer.  Before long, every gap in the crumbling structure had been filled.  Delcarakdur seemed pleased with the finished job, so we put down our tools and picked up our weapons ready for the long night ahead.

A scout tests the structure's security

As we drew our arms, a scout appeared outside one of the walls of the structures and questioned whether or not we really thought the structure was secure.  In my opinion the structure was perfectly secure for the camp's needs.  It would adequately hinder an undead attack from any direction, giving the group time to ready arms and assume formation when they were alerted of the attack.  It was also fairly easy to break out of the structure, should any undead appear at the pentagram and we found ourselves overwhelmed from within the camp.

The camp is complete

With the camp complete, and guards assuming sentry positions at all corners of the structure, we settled in for a long night monitoring the pentagram.  I must admit all was so quiet that I drifted off at some point during the night.  We witnessed no undead activity at the pentagram that night, and there is nothing to suggest it is linked with the surge in undead presence.

*Signed* Talpa Europaea

[OOC]  Sorry I am a little confused with the date for this training session.  Is it happening today 12th December or next year on 11th January?  [/OOC]

[1910 Friday, 10th December 2005: Patrol of the shire.]

1910 Friday, 10th December 2005: Patrol of the shire.

Attending:
Hoagie (Patrol Leader)
Thomas Sendrich
Kal ShadowHand
Talpa Europaea, Watchman
Constantius, Recruit

I woke from the barracks and my first task of the day was questioning an elf about why he murdered a civilian that was chained and screaming for help nearby.  He claimed that she was a spy, and in a true condescending elven way he tried informing me that us humans would not understand.

A few of us were left outside the barracks as the elf departed, so we decided to make a patrol of the Shire.  The first stop was the town of Cove.  Kal and the recruit were sent to make sure the northern section of the town was clear, whilst Hoagie and I investigated the southern side.  All was quiet except for some warriors with swords drawn, who were warned to lower their weapons or put them to good use and join the militia.

The group met up once more and forced march to the graveyard to lay some undead creatures to rest.  We battled our way directly to the main crypt and back, before returning once more to the barracks.

*Signed* Talpa Europaea

[1845 Wednesday, 7th December 2005: Patrol of the shire.]

1845 Wednesday, 7th December 2005: Patrol of the shire.

Attending:
Talpa Europaea, Watchman
Constantius, Recruit
Bayne, Recruit

We began our patrol by travelling to the Covian gate.  Once there I ordered the two recruits inside to establish the town was peaceful.  They returned within minutes to inform me all was well, so I decided we should continue out patrol of the shire by making a trip to the cemetery.  The restless dead are always crowding that cemetery, so i thought it prudent to give them some more breathing space...

As we travelled there I caught Recruit Constantius drinking from a bottle of wine.  He assured me he was not drunk and would not be a liability.  He lied.  All of us fell to the first lich we encountered, but a friendly healer tended our wounds and we returned to the cemetery (albeit avoiding the lich) and put to rest some of the less dangerous denizens of the graveyard. 



*Signed*
                Talpa Europaea

Despite all the absurdity surrounding recruit Malin's personal quest for gold and his accusations of thievery amongst the unit, the few that soldiered on were able to achieve the goal of the mission; locating the girl in good health and returning her home safely.

Thank you to Junior Grenadier for resuming control of the mission.



[OOC]  Personally that was one of the most enjoyable hunts I have been on.  It didn't go quite to plan, but the IC arguments and circumstances that the few remaining guards found themselves in made it really different from usual dungeon runs.  Cheers Vince  [/OOC]